MQM wants LG polls with correct constituencies

The Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) has made it clear that it wants local government elections with the correct constituencies.

Addressing a press conference alongside Wasim Akhtar and Aminul Haq, Farogh Naseem said that they have been contesting the issue of Karachi and Hyderabad constituencies for a long time. There is a clear difference in the population ratio of Malir and Korangi constituencies, he added.

He said that the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) is usually responsible for carrying out delimitation, but the Sindh government is doing this itself. He added that the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) had also agreed that until the constituencies are fixed, there will be no local body elections. He further remarked that PTI and Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) are “our brothers”, asking them why they changed their stance.

The former minister said that if the constituencies are not correct, it amounts to not being sincere with Karachi.

He said that all parties had agreed that the powers should be devolved to the local government. “We say local government elections should be quick, but with correct constituencies,” he added.

He further said that their party does not ask the ECP to stop the election due to rain and Muharram.

“We should not let the citizens of Sindh get disaffected,” he added. “Local people should get representation.”

It is worth mentioning here that a day ago, the electoral body postponed the second phase of the local bodies elections in Sindh

Separately, Minister for Poverty Alleviation and Social Safety Shazia Marri, while addressing a press conference, said that after the postponement of the polls, a “very dirty propaganda” was started against the provincial government.

“The Sindh government had never requested to postpone the elections,” she said.

“Record rains have occurred in Karachi, but despite this, the Sindh government played its role and cleared the city,” she added.

The minister said that in Sindh local bodies, there were no PTI candidates in most constituencies.

“If someone joins Tehreek-e-Insaf, then he is halal; if he joins another party, then he is haram,” she remarked.

“If you win the election itself, everything is fine, if you lose, it is rigged,” she added.